What happened
On August 23, 2015, a student skydiver participated in a training jump at the Depułtycze Królewskie airfield (EPCD). The student, who had completed 16 previous jumps, was performing their first jump following a 15-day hiatus. This specific jump utilized a Manta 290 parachute with a Dolphin-type deployment bag, a departure from the student's previous experience with Mars PS-034 S deployment bags.
After exiting the aircraft at an altitude of 1,500 m, the student transitioned into a flat position and attempted a planned body movement to decelerate before deployment. At approximately 900 m, the student attempted to deploy the main parachute but was unable to locate the soft pilot chute handle. This difficulty induced significant stress, resulting in uncontrolled spinning, tumbling, and a rapid loss of altitude. Although the student eventually located the handle and deployed the main canopy, the Vigil automatic activation device, which was set to "student" mode, triggered the deployment of the reserve parachute as the main canopy was inflating. Both canopies inflated almost simultaneously, with the cells oriented toward the ground. The student immediately cut away the main parachute, and the landing occurred in a field outside the airfield perimeter.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the training organizer, examined the student's training history, the equipment used, and the sequence of events leading to the fatal outcome. The inquiry focused on the student's familiarity with the specific deployment bag type and the subsequent mechanical deployment of the reserve parachute via the automatic activation device.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the inability to locate the soft pilot chute handle.
- The student experienced a critical loss of altitude control during freefall due to the stress of the malfunction.
- The use of a different deployment bag type (Dolphin) compared to the student's previous experience (Mars) contributed to the difficulty in locating the deployment handle.
- The Vigil automatic activation device triggered the reserve parachute during the main canopy's inflation process.